Bobby Powell
Bobby Powell was a highly sought-after interviewee'"Above that! “'First order of business, land Bobby Powell.' 60 Minutes, 20/20, the Today Show- they’re ''all trying to snag this guy! How did you do it?!" (Murphy, Respect 4:28-29)' after he allegedly had an affair"'Did you sleep with Gwen Lansing?" (Murphy, Respect 6:37)' with the married vice presidential candidate Gwen Lansing. Murphy Brown interviewed him after Miles Silverberg helped to secure the interview in the first place, but under the stipulation of not asking Bobby whether he had the affair or not.'"You promised Bobby Powell I wouldn’t ask him if he had an affair with a married woman who happens to be running for VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?!" (Murphy, Respect 4:38)' Murphy found out from Miles that if she refused to do the interview, Bobby would have asked Jane Pauley to do it.'"I just spoke with Bobby Powell. He’d really like you to do the interview, but if not, he’s gonna give it to Jane Pauley." (Miles, Respect 5:22)' Bobby confessed he was offered significant amounts of money from various people to do the interview with them, but he turned it down, saying that he just wanted the story told straight.'"Y’know, Ms. Brown, a lot of people are offering me a lot of money to tell my story. Y’know, I don’t know if this’ll make any sense to you, but I’m not interested in the money; I just want the story told straight." (Bobby Powell, Respect 6:24-25)' As a result of the publicity the alleged affair brought, he lost his job,'"Pretty far…? Y’know what happened to me this morning? I got let go from my job." (Bobby Powell, Respect 6:28)' and his friends quit talking to him.'"My friends don’t call me anymore; I can’t walk out into the street without everybody staring at me." (Bobby Powell, Respect 6:31)' He also said he was recognised on the street from the publicity. According to Jim Dial's introduction to Murphy’s interview, the entire affair blew up in a month after a specific photograph depicting Bobby and Gwen Lansing together in tennis clothes surfaced.'"Until a month ago, no one knew his name. This photograph changed his life, and perhaps the direction of a presidential campaign" (Jim, Respect 8:41)' Despite the stipulations, Murphy ultimately asked him the question about the affair live on air,'"Let’s start with the question everyone’s asking. Did you sleep with Gwen Lansing or not?" (Murphy, Respect 8:44)' after becoming suspicious of the motives of Bobby'"I think you’ve both got to expect a little publicity! And frankly, Mr. Powell, I think publicity’s exactly what you’re after." (Murphy, Respect 6:34)' and his agent.'"Ok, remember what I told you- don’t divert your eyes too much, it makes you look dishonest. Let the camera pick up your natural charisma. Everything goes well tonight, tomorrow we make that major deal with the-" (Jerry Weiss, Respect 8:27-28)' Murphy told Eldin Bernecky later that night that the interview was watched by 30 million people.'"Y’know, 30 million people watched me on television tonight!" (Murphy, Respect 9:17)''' References Category:People